//------------------------------// // Ch. 5: Meet the Tinker // Story: Tales of Apple Scratch: Just Another Wild West Story // by TigerSwirl448 //------------------------------// Chapter 5 Meet the Tinker <>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<> Melody never stopped thinking about that ... girl. She just couldn't stop staring at the town as I was busy building our tent on our tiny square of land. From what Melody told me, our square is the size of a square cabin. Of course I didn't mind the size, as long as we can make this a comfortable place. After I got our tent set up with a comfortable quilt on the ground for something soft to sit on, Melody was still sitting on the rock staring at Frontier City. I kept telling her that that woman had nothing for her, but Melody was persistent. She kept making plans of trying to talk to this girl again, but I couldn't help but see her bruised hand where the whore hurt her. She won't even listen to me! After our first night in our tent, it was a bit chilly but we bundled up in our quilts and slept close together to keep warm. The next morning we woke up and decided to take our chance out at the river to start finding gold. With our pickaxes and pans in hand, we walked to the river and when we got there ... let's just say I didn't expect this place to be so full and nasty. Melody and I stopped at the edge of the tiny tent village to see everything. The land was torn up and covered in thick mud and foot prints. We could see the prospectors walking around with their shovels on their shoulders, bottles of rum and whiskey in their hands, all dressed messy and wet from the mud and river. We even saw the griffin folk, those that hail to their Griffin king. We could tell them apart from the rest by their pale, white skin from the far north reaches of the frontier. They did look scary. We tried to get through to the water, but Melody decided it was probably best if we went up river where there were less shady characters. Of course, we weren't given easy favors. <>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<> "I never expected that much." Melody said still in shock. The sisters walked through the tent village, their pant legs and boots were covered in gross, smelly mud of the tent village. After a while of walking through the mud, they reached the clean grass. "You mean you were expecting less?" Annie asked. Melody sighed. "A little. Of course it looked like this place was built way before we got the message in the east." Melody said with a growl. "This is just great, we might have just lost all the time for digging gold!" "Uh Melody, why did we go to the river then?" "Just to see the competition and see how much gold was in the river. I guess there was a lot if they were hanging out there instead." Annie looked at her with worry. "Melody?" "What?" "Did we come here for nothing?" Annie asked. Melody stopped and turned to her with a glare. "Hell no!" She said. "Just because they took a lot of the gold already, doesn't mean there isn't any left. We just have to go and find a new place to get some. We might even have to dig for it and keep it a secret." Annie blinked, watching her walk on. "But, how can we find some and keep it a secret?" "Trust me, Annie, I know what I'm doing." Annie sighed with annoyance, but let it go. Melody was the thinker between them, so whatever she says goes. All day the two sisters walked around for a long time, looking at the ground, the dirt, the rocks, even the shore of the river. Melody got bored enough to start panning for gold in the river. Annie followed her lead, looking into the tiny grains of sand for yellow bits. Melody sighed, sitting on the rock she had perched on and unfolded her cramping legs. Annie laid down on the grass tired and bored. "So this is us getting gold?" Annie asked with a growl. "Just shut up," Melody scolded rubbing her face. She was annoyed and angry of possibly making the mistake of traveling to Frontier City. The sisters sat up, hearing a group of horses trot towards them. The sisters looked up, seeing the three horses and their riders. Melody stood up as they stopped before them. Two of the riders were women and the third was Ace Kicker. He recognized them, tipping his hat. Melody waved to them. "Hello," Melody said as the largest of the women glared at them. "I'm Yelena Skytalon, the sheriff of Frontier City." She said with a thick Griffin Kingdom accent. Annie gulped seeing the horrible scar on her neck, whatever happened to her neck was causing her voice to sound so creepy. "These are my deputies, Maxine Dust and Ace Kicker." "Ace Kicker we met yesterday." Melody said tipping her bowler hat at the man. Ace winked at her in return, smiling. "Really," Maxine said glaring at him. Ace's smile wavered as he turned away. "What do we owe the pleasure of meeting you?" Melody asked as Annie stood up by her. Yelena snorted as she leaned forward on the saddle horn of her saddle to look at them. "As new citizens of Frontier City, I had placed a sign on the Sheriff's doorway saying that all new members come to the station and sign up. We don't tolerate freeloaders in this town." She said with a glare. Annie blinked looking down at Melody. Melody thought for a moment then cleared her throat. "I apologize, we didn't see the sign nor the Sheriff's office when we arrived. We assumed that anyone can come in." Yelena snorted again shaking her head. "Is that the best excuse you got, Freeloader?" "Excuse me, Sheriff." Ace said interrupting, getting a threatening glance. "What?" Yelena growled. "I met them at Amos' shop yesterday. They were here for the gold rush." "Hmm, did you sleep with them, cock?" Maxine asked with an evil grin. Ace blushed. "Hell, I didn't even get the chance." He said laughing. Maxine frowned turning away. Yelena coughed once then spat to the side, rubbing her nose. "Alright, enough bickering you two." She looked back at the sisters. "I do mean it, you two must come down to the office with us." She said glaring at Melody as if daring her to make this difficult. Melody looked at Annie to see her nod once. Melody sighed. "Fine, come on Annie. Grab your stuff." Melody bent down to grab her pan and pickax, Annie did the same. "Follow my deputies back to town. I have to make my rounds." Yelena kicked her heels into her horse and rode away to the tents. The deputies turned their horses and started walking away. Melody and Annie followed them. Ace smirked, tipping his hat at them. "Nice seeing you two again. How was your night?" Annie blushed. "Well it was chilly." "Yeah, it's getting close to winter, and winter can be harsh here.” Ace said with a smile. Annie smiled back. Ace didn’t show that he wanted to bed her like yesterday, but he seemed like a nice, kind man. “Is it that bad?” Annie asked interested. Ace laughed. “Lady, I’ve been living here for five years and I can tell you this much. It was cold enough that I lost three of my toes.” He said pointing at his boot. Annie gulped, looking at his boat imagining that. It made her queasy thinking about it. Maxine snarled. “Shut up Kicker.” Ace blinked then cleared his throat. Annie glared at the woman to see her wink at her with a spoiled smile. Annie kept looking ahead of her. The four reached the town then to the Sheriff’s Office. Ace and Maxine hitched their horses at the post then lead the sisters into the office. Once inside the Sheriff's Office, Melody and Annie were told to stand at the wall as Maxine went into the backroom. Ace stood opposite of the sisters with a guilt look on his face. "Sorry, I should have asked if you two signed in." He blushed. Melody smirked. "Oh we could tell you were distracted by a certain dark beauty." She teased. Ace blushed and nodded. "I guess you can say that." He said with gritted teeth. "Ahem, anyway, you'll have to fill some papers and then well-" "Kicker!" Ace jumped turning to see Maxine walking back with a book. "Go and check the cages will you?" Ace glared at her as she winked at him. Ace nodded. "Yes, ma'am." He walked towards the hall then turned a corner, leaving the sisters alone with the woman. "Alright, lets get this over with. Have a seat in front of the desk." Melody and Annie took their seats at the desk as Maxine opened the large book and placed an ink well next to the book. "Now, who are you and where did you come from?" "Melody Liker, and this is Annabelle Apple. We're from Manehattan." Melody answered feeling like a parrot repeating her name every which way. Since this was a census sort of thing, she had to tell Annie's full name. Maxine wrote the names in the book and nodded. "Hmm, age?" She asked with a glint in her eyes, seeing Annie squirm under her gaze. "Twenty-one. Annie's twenty- four." Melody answered with a glowering glare. She didn't like how this Maxine was sizing Annie with her eyes. Maxine nodded. "Hmm and relations? Lovers perhaps?" Melody glared at her. "You're a fine piece of work, did anyone tell you that?" She growled. "Relations," Maxine asked again. "Sisters, I was adopted." Melody answered. Maxine smirked looking to Annie. "Is that true?" Annie nodded. "Yes, ma'am, it is." Maxine smiled writing the information. "Alright then. Now I need you two to sign your names here," She said turning the book over for them to see the tiny lines. Melody took the pen and signed her signature. She looked at Annie, she nodded and carefully wrote her name in horrible cursive script. She blushed handing the book back to Maxine. Maxine smirked closing the book with a grin. "Congratulations ladies, you two are now citizens of the Griffin Kingdom." "Huh?" Annie asked with worry. Melody snorted. "Yay for us. Now are we done?" Maxine chuckled. "No, there are some things you must know. Now that you are citizens of the Griffin Kingdoms, there are some rules you must follow. Also being members of his town you will follow our rules." Melody glared. "Like what?" "Well, rule number one, there are no same sex marriages and none of such luxuries must be seen in public or you'll be jailed." She said chuckling. Melody glared. "There are brothels." "True," She said cryptically as she looked back down at her book. "Rule two, no woman shall own a business or firearm." Annie blinked. "But you have a firearm." Maxine didn't say anything only smirked. "So if we arrest you and catch you with a firearm like mine, you'll be jailed for two weeks and pay a fee of five Beak notes. Or to Equestrians, fifty bits." "That's outrageous!" Melody yelled out standing up. "That's the law." Maxine stated. Melody growled sitting back down, she hates this town already. "Oh and one last big law you should know. Any gold you find, seventy-five percent of that gold will be turned in to the law." "What?!" Melody and Annie both cried in shock. "It's to pay for your citizen fee in the town and also for taxes." "You can't do that!" Melody yelled out. "We can," The three turned to see Yelena walk into the office. "And those are the laws ladies, unless you'll become trouble makers." Melody glared at the griffin folk then to the Jupitarian. Annie gulped placing her hand on Melody's shoulder to calm her down. "Are they signed up?" Yelena asked gruffly. "Yes, Sheriff they are." Maxine said chuckling. "Good, now are there any questions?" Yelena asked smiling. "Why such laws?" Annie asked quickly before Melody could object. Yelena leaned forward causing Annie to lean back in her chair. "They're always passed by the Griffin King and the owner of this town. Unlike your precious Equestria government, we do things differently." "Who's the owner?" Annie asked. "None of your damn business. And while the owner's not around, I'm in charge." She snorted. "The town can't stop talking about the two of you since you walked in. I've got my eye on you." Annie glared at her. "Then we won't be of any trouble." "Hmmph, you hope by your damn Pony Gods you won't. Now you can leave." Annie nodded, pushing the sheriff back as she stood up. "Have a nice day." Annie growled taking Melody by her elbow and left the office. Yelena glared at the sisters as they left. "Maxine," "Yes ma'am," "Make sure you keep a close eye on those two Equestrians. I don't like them one bit." She snarled. "Hmm, that Eponian looked cute. But that Titanian does seem like a trouble maker." Yelena growled seeing Maxine blush as she turned away. "You can fuck on your own time. Get back to work. I have some prisoners to question." Maxine watched her walk off into the prison hold and sighed shaking her head. "I don't get paid enough for this job." <>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<> "I don't believe this?!" Melody exclaimed, scaring a few couples as they walked down the dirt road, back to the outskirts. Annie sighed nodding as Melody continued her rant. "That's robbery! They're like taking all the gold that was found! How can we get gold and be rich if they take the gold away?" Annie shrugged, still thinking. "That is strange though." "What is?" "That they made us sign up and making us citizens of this country." Melody nodded. "Okay yeah, you do have a point. Hmm, I wonder why they're doing this though? Not to mention, why did we waste money buying revolvers if they won't allow us to use them here?" "That's because the law doesn't want others to have guns." The girls stopped and turned to see Ace Kicker leaning against a wooden post, smiling. "How'd you get here?" Melody asked shocked. "The office had a back door also the Sheriff kicked me out." He said lamely, rubbing the back of his head. "You didn't hear all that did you?" Annie asked worriedly. Ace shrugged his shoulders. "Bah, I don't care about that type of stuff. I've lived here for five years and it took three of those years to be second deputy. So I know about the stuff the sheriff could pull. Not very honorable I tell you." He said glaring at the Sheriff's Office as five men with silver stars on their coats walk to their horses. Melody found this strange, the Sheriff Office wasn't that big to hold that many deputies. The five men reached their horses then headed off into the forest. "Who were they?" Melody asked scratching her chin in thought. Ace sighed and shook his head. "Trouble. That's all you need to know." He said tipping his hat at a young woman walking by, winking at her. She giggled with a red blush waving at him as she walked by. "But do you work with them?" Annie asked. Ace blinked then sniffed, wiping his nose. "Not often but sometimes I do. And no they're not the law." Melody blinked looking at him. "Then what are they, then?" "Hired guns." He said bluntly as he leaned against the post. Melody thought for a moment then turned back to the deputy. "So you're not here to rat us out for talking about our guns?" Ace smirked. "Not at all, all people should have some sort of weapon out here and a firearm is a good weapon out here. It can save your life. It's just that the sheriff wants others to be vulnerable so she could save their asses and get paid for it." Ace rolled his eyes. "It's not a great happy place here." Annie sighed patting her holster. "So what can we do? They don't allow women to carry firearms." Ace thought for a moment. "Well the one way to keep your firearms is to join the law, be hired guns or some such." Melody blinked then turned to the sheriff's office thinking. "But I got a better idea for you two." Ace said smiling. "Really? And what is this second best idea?" Melody asked. Ace smiled. "Follow me, " Ace leapt off the wooden walk way and headed down the street. The sisters followed close behind him. They reached the crossroads near Velvet's store. Ace looked up to the windows, Melody did as well to see Velvet cleaning the inside windows. She stopped cleaning then smiled to see Ace tipping his hat to her. Velvet suddenly jumped and turned as Amos walked over to glare at Ace. He grabbed Velvet by her arm and pulled her away from the window. Melody noticed Ace frowning sadly as he continued on the walk toward a large barn with a corral of horses and mules. Ace walked around the large barn approaching a small barn with a strange haphazard sign hanging on the wall. "Uh where are we going?" Annie asked. "Just to see a friend of mine who will help you with your firearm problem." "What will this friend do?" "Number one, take the firearms and keep them for you." Ace opened the large door and the three entered the small barn. Melody rubbed her eyes to get used to the dull lighting of the interior. She opened her eyes and gasped at what she saw. The whole room was filled with contraptions, barrels, and lanterns. On the floor were piles of metal and leather straps. Up on the ceiling were metal rods with hanging contraptions that resemble railcars. Ace chuckled pulling off his hat then knocked hard on a metal pan hanging next to him. "Hey Tinker!" He called out. "It's Ace." The sisters looked around for this person called Tinker then jumped hearing a crash somewhere in the barn. "KICKIE!" A girl screamed, causing the sisters to jump with fright.They looked up at the second floor to see something leap into the air over the rail. She grabbed a pair of handles and with the metal handle attached to a pulley wheel she zipped down the rope towards the three visitors. Annie and Melody screamed and dodged the flying person as she crashed into several feather mattresses behind the visitors. The three looked at the crumbled mattresses as a teenage girl popped out of the mattresses with white feathers all over her crazy curly pink hair. She had on a dirty white buttoned up shirt, messy trousers all covered in soot, a pair of old goggles on top of her head, and pair of old cowboy boots. Annie and Melody stared at her confused. The girl spat out a few feathers wiping her face. "Okay that might have gone better." She said looking at her rope line then at the mattresses around her. "Hmm, maybe I should angle the rope line thirty degrees higher?" "Tinker?" Ace said getting the girl's attention. "Oh Kickie!" The girl leaped out of the mattresses, causing Melody and Annie to fall back on the ground staring in shock as she wrapped her arms around Ace, squeezing his neck. Ace hugged her back, his face turning purple. "Tink! I need air!" He croaked. "Oh oops!" The girl said releasing Ace so he could take a deep breath. Melody stared at the girl to see her as tall as Ace's chin. "Uh Hi Kickie!" She said saluting. Ace rubbed his neck scooping his hat from the ground. "Hello Tink, I see you've been busy." "Oh yeah, busy making stuff you know." Ace chuckled then looked down at Melody as she was pulled back up her feet by Annie. "Tinker, I would like to introduce you to some friends of mine." "Your bed mates?" Tinker giggled as Ace blushed at that. "Uh no, sorry kid, these two so far have deflected my charm." Tinker gasped loudly in shock turning to the two women. "Seriously?! No girl could resist Kickie's super charm! I mean it's so powerful!" The two women stared at one another then at Ace to see him blush. "Uh well," Melody started. "I'm not into men. I'm more of a ladies girl, actually." Melody said chuckling. Annie groaned applying hand to face. "He's cute though don't get me wrong. But you're not my type, Kicker." Ace looked pained as he held his chest with a gasp. "Miss. Liker! That felt like a knife being twisted in my heart!" He swooned and fell into the mattresses as Tinker was laughing pointing at him. Annie chuckled shaking her head. "Aw get up Kicker," Annie said tapping her boot against his. Ace chuckled standing back up. "Wow, no woman ever said that to me. I get all women to fawn over me. Even those like you Liker." Melody smirked. "Sorry pal." "Wow," Tinker said looking between the thee. "Never any girl can do that." "Well I guess I'm the first." Melody said turning to the girl. "Name's Melody Liker." She said holding out her hand. Tinker took her hand with both of hers, shaking her hand vigorously. Melody almost lost her balance from bouncing around by the shake. Annie laughed. "I'm Annie, nice to met you ... Tinker, was it?" "Yep!" Tinker said releasing Melody's hand. Melody winced holding her hand. "I'm Tinker Pie, and I love to make things." She said smiling innocently. "I can tell." Melody muttered seeing the strange hanging contraptions. "What are ya? Leonardo De Vinci or something?" "Who?" Tinker asked confused. "Leonardo, the great artist and inventor." Tinker rubbed her chin thinking. "Hmm, nope doesn't ring a bell." Melody blinked with surprise. "Anyway, Tink." Ace said wrapping his arm around her, kissing her on the head. "These two fine ladies here want to ask you something." "Ooh really?" She asked. "Yep," He said smiling at the sisters. "Oh uh, Tinker?" Melody started. "Yes?" "Ace here told us that you can hold our firearms for a bit? You see the law says we can't hold firearms." Tinker suddenly went still staring at Annie and Melody. "Uh is she okay?" Melody asked worriedly pointing a there. Ace smirked. "Three, two one ..." He point at the exact moment Tinker let out a gasp. She run forward and bulldozed Annie to the ground, straddling her. "Oh my gosh! You have guns?! Which ones, which type, what year!?" She asked pressing her nose to Annie's with wide excited eyes. "Uuuuuhhhh," Annie said staring at her bright blue eyes. "Colt," "Oh Colt?!" Tinker gasped sitting up, clapping her hands. "My best designs were the Colts." She said scratching her chin giggling. "Ah yes the Colts were my later design, very good and strong." Melody blinked. "Wait, why are you saying such things?" Ace chuckled. "Because this little girl was the creator of the guns on your hips." Annie and Melody stared at him then at the girl on top of Annie. "Wait, you mean this girl made these firearms?" Annie asked. "Oh and Gunpowder." Tinker said giggling. "Gunpowder go poof!" Tinker said indicating a blast with her hands making noises as she fell over to the ground, giggling. Annie and Melody stared at the girl worriedly then up at Ace to see him blush. "Oh!" Tinker said sitting up, immediately pointing at Melody. "You have a gun too, gimmie, gimmie!" She said pointing at Melody's holster. Melody reached to her hip then pulled out her snub-nosed revolver and handed it to Tinker. Tinker took the small revolver looking at it. She licked the barrel smacking her lips, thinking. "Ah yes, one of my first designs." Tinker said now sounding intelligent as she suddenly had another revolver in her hand that resembled Annie's. Annie gasped then looked down at her holster to find it empty. "What the-!" Annie said turning back to Tinker to see her thinking. "Of course, the snub-nosed was a tricky design. I was trying to make it small enough to be concealed and used in short distances. Not meant for far targets." Tinker pointed the snub-nosed revolver at Melody. Melody yelped and ducked as Tinker pulled the trigger, hitting a metal plate hearing a "Ding!" "Damn it, girl! Don't point that at me!" Melody screamed out angrily. Tinker continued on without much thought. "Hmm, true it's a little off on the sights a bit. See, that's the problem with this gun. It's not meant for far target like Sand Man." "Sand Man?" Annie asked. Tinker shrugged pointing the Colt at the target again. Annie turned to see that the piece of metal was covered with bullet dings with a squiggly smiling face on it. That must be Sand Man. "Uh-huh." Annie said with concern. Tinker pulled the trigger hearing a click. She blinked staring at the gun. "Why did it not go boom?" Tinker asked childlike. Ace took the guns from her. "Hey! Kickie!" She whined. "That's enough playing with guns, Tink." He scolded with a glare. Tinker sighed turning away. "Alright, fine." Ace sighed setting the guns on a box by a work desk. "Well, I bet it's time for us to go." "Aww!" Tinker whined. "So soon? You're hardly around anymore." Tinker said crossing her arms across her chest pouting. Ace sighed with a smile. "Sorry, Sweetie, Skytalon has me doing more work now. But I promise I'll visit you again tomorrow. Okay?" Ace asked smiling at her. Tinker sighed then smiled hugging him. "Okay!" Annie and Melody looked at one another then back at the two. Ace smiled patting her back. "Now go on and do what you do." Tinker nodded feeling a fatherly kiss on her head. "Okay, Kickie!" She turned to her desk. "I have a huge order of gunpowder to make by tomorrow anyways." "Be careful." Ace said worriedly. "I'm always careful!" She said pulling the goggles over her eyes. "That's what I'm worried about." Ace said motioning the sisters to follow him. Ace closed the door and sighed. He turned to the sisters to see their searching glares. "What?" "Okay who was that?" Melody asked. Ace sighed. "Look, she's just a little troubled kid, alright. She's smart and inventive, she's just a little ..." "Crazy?" Melody barked. Ace winced rubbing his neck. "So being a Casanova, you seem to have her wrapped around your finger." Ace stiffened then glared at the Titanian. Melody blinked seeing his stormy glare. "Listen here Liker," He snarled. Melody blinked, backing away into the wall. Ace followed her grabbing her shirt pulling her close to him. "Sure I get around but Tink is a different case all together." Melody glared back at him. Annie was stock still with worry, unsure on what to do. "You seem to see her as easy bait, huh?" Melody snarled. Ace slammed her, hard against the wall of the barn. "Tink was an abused kid and was left to die in the forest! I saved her from the bastards that hurt her and yes, she has a place in my heart, cause I took care of her! She's not a one night stand or an easy whore. Far from it, Liker. And I suggest you keep those nasty thoughts to yourself!" Melody turned away. Ace released her shirt then turned away, storming off. Melody watched the man disappear towards the town. She started thinking how Ace and Tinker acted towards each other. It wasn't a lover to lover type of love, but a guardian to his child. That made her blush with shame thinking of Ace Kicker like most men she was around with back in Manehattan. Melody pushed off the wall, fixing her shirt. Another thought hit her, she turned to glare at Annie. "What were you doing?!" Melody yelled out causing Annie to jump out of her frozen state. "You could have backed me up!" Annie blushed seeing Melody's angry eyes on her. She had never seen Melody this angry before. "I'm sorry Melody, it just happened and I didn't know what to do and I-" Suddenly, Melody slapped her in the face to get her to stop stuttering. Annie gasped after the slap, rubbing her cheek looking at Melody with shock and hurt. "Listen to me Annie, we have to protect each other, watch each other's back. If he grabbed you, I would have beaten the shit out of him." She said severely. Annie gulped blinking fast. "Learn it, Annie. Without our guns we're nothing but easy bait." Melody walked off leaving Annie to stand there, by the barn rubbing her cheek with a few surprise tears rolling down her face. Melody slapped or hit her before, when they were younger and wrestling, but this was different. Annie sniffed wiping her eyes with her sleeve then followed Melody back out to the river. The sooner they find gold, the sooner Melody will be happy.